Looking back

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm feeling pretty drained from the holidays. As Dan said, we had five Christmases. So that's why I haven't blogged lately. But looking back on the holiday, I think the best moment was when Isaiah came down the stairs on Christmas morning and saw his new train set. Dan and I had set it up the night before, so he came down to see it going around the tracks. It's still the gift he has played with the most.

Christmas Gifts from Samuel

Believe it or not, Samuel did give me two great Christmas gifts. First of all, he's been sleeping through the night since about last Wednesday. I'm starting to feel like a human again because I'm getting a decent amount of sleep at night. That is a great gift! Second, he started smiling on Friday. I carried him for nine months, and now I've been looking at his adorable face for about six weeks now. It's just indescribably rewarding to finally see him smile. It's addicting. For the past few days, everything I try to do takes me twice as long because I keep stopping to get Samuel to smile again. I just can't get enough of it. I understand why God tells us that children are a gift from Him. Thank God for my two cuties.

Spending

I've seen a lot of commercials advertising after-Christmas sales. On a Home Depot commercial I heard the pitch, "The more you buy, the more you save." It sounds so appealing because who doesn't want to save money? But think about it. Think about your bank account's bottom line. The more you buy, the more you spend! So don't get suckered into misleading advertising. Enough soap box.

#50

This is my 50th post. It's Christmas. Isaiah was a blast. Samuel slept through a lot of it. I'm a little overwhelmed by the pile... no... mountain of gifts piled on the counter. It was a great day though. We started out at home, then went to my mom's around lunch. We came home in the afternoon for a mandatory nap time (for everyone!), then went to Dan's parents for dinner. I know that Christmas without kids is kind of boring, but Christmas with kids can get a little out of control. Is there a happy medium? I don't know. But it was great. I hope yours was too. I guess the most important thing I'd like to leave for my 50th post is that I'm thankful to have so many great family members nearby. We are very blessed to have them all.

Ringing the bell

On Friday I rang the bell for the Salvation Army. I had never done it before, but I think I'll do it every year in the future. I was surprised by everyone's generosity. Almost everyone who walked by put something in the kettle. Age didn't seem to matter. Little children, teens, and people in their 20's, 30's, 40's etc. donated, including a man who told me he was 91 years old! I was singing while ringing the bell, and when the 91-year-old man came over I happened to be singing "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." He told me that he knew that song when he was a child. I inferred that he used to go to church when he was younger but did not attend any more. I encouraged him to go to church on Christmas Eve. He agreed that it would be a good idea but didn't really say he would go. He said the worst thing about living to be 91 years old was that all his friends were gone. How sad. He just seemed like a nice, lonely man. So who knows. Hopefully he'll attend a Christmas Eve service and meet Jesus. Wouldn't that be great?

Another health benefit of tea

I read the other day that one good way to avoid gaining so much weight over the holidays is to drink warm beverages. Supposedly the warm drinks are so comforting to the body that it reduces your need to snack. Also, it fills you up so you're not hungry. So I decided to try it. In general, I'm an evening coffee/tea drinker. So last night I enjoyed a Tazo decaf orange tea. Tonight I had a Lipton herbal decaf peach tea. I also like decaf coffee with yummy creamers, but obviously, that's not as healthy for you. Either way, it's a nice little way I take a moment for myself to relax. So if you're feeling stressed this Christmas, maybe it will work for you too.

Broken Glass

No, this title doesn't mean anything deep. There was literally broken glass all over my floor! I had just gotten both boys down for naps, and sat down to read my bible. I was reading Luke 1, about when the angel Gabriel spoke to Zechariah. I was reading the words in verse 12 where it says, "Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear" when, crash! I heard the sound of breaking glass on the other side of the house. Then I was shaken and overwhelmed with fear! =) My first thought was, "That cat!" I rushed over to see broken glass everywhere, in thousands of little pieces. The cat was nowhere around. In fact, he came down from upstairs to see what was going on. Poor Obi. Always getting blamed for things. At first, I couldn't tell what had broken! It looked like a glass plate. Finally, after looking up, I figured out that the light fixture had just fallen to the floor. How does that happen? So I spent the next half hour sweeping and vacuuming tiny shards of glass (a nightmare for a mom - who wants their kid to get glass in his foot?), then resumed my quiet time. Ahhh. Quiet.

When I came out of the bathroom...

I found that Isaiah had climbed into Samuel's crib. Yikes. I just never know what to expect out of that big one.

So I have to say that I'm excited for Christmas this year. Isaiah just loves looking at the Christmas lights on people's houses. And he can spot a big blow-up Santa or snowman from a mile away. I think we're going to have a lot of fun opening his presents. The tough thing for me is that I can't even mention that we have presents for him, because he doesn't understand the concept of waiting. If I talk about a present, he wants it now, then has a total meltdown when he doesn't get it. And when we talk about Christmas, he makes sure we know it is Jesus' birthday, not baby Jesus' birthday. Somehow it makes a difference to him. =)

Abbie as Bill Cowher

Ok. I usually don't steal things from other people's blogs, but this is the funniest thing I've seen for a long time. So, my niece Abbie posing as Bill Cowher, courtesy of my sister's blog. Enjoy!

Caring People

Last night I helped set up for the Lighthouse toy drive. I feel bad that I could only help for an hour, but with the kids, etc., it was all I could do. I'll tell you the thing that struck me the most. Some of the toys were wrapped, and we had to unwrap them. I could tell by the way the toys were wrapped that the donors really cared. There was nice, kid-friendly Christmas wrapping paper, gift bags stuffed with colorful tissue paper, and shiny gift tags with "Girl, age 7" on them. We have a lot of generous people in our community, and I hope the children are blessed by the toys.

One shirt?

Did you know you only need one shirt? Before I explain, think of your closet and your dresser drawers. If they're anything like mine, they're so crammed full that things wrinkle even when they're put away. And then I still can't find anything to wear! Do you know what I'm talking about? Well, I started reading the Christmas story in Luke 1 and just kept reading. I ended up in Luke 3, where John the Baptist is addressing the Jewish crowds. They ask what they can do to produce fruit. John replies, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” (Luke 3:11, NLT) Two shirts! Of course, John was talking to people in a different culture and a different time, but we can take something from his point. Most of us probably could take half of what we have and give it to someone who really needs it. We probably wouldn't even miss the things we gave away. I don't know about you, but I think I'll go through my closet today, and maybe the kitchen.

The Best of '07

1. Peter Pan musical at Eden
2. ACSI Band Festival
3. Being a part of Eden’s first 12th grade graduation
4. Working with the seniors to write Eden’s Alma Mater
5. Working with the praise band for Eden’s all-school chapel
6. Spending a week at Edinboro youth camp
7. Spending time at Mahaffey camp
8. Vacation in Tennessee
9. Meeting my niece Abbie
10. Having Samuel
11. Seeing Isaiah become a big brother
12. Going to Shaker in the Woods with all the Borcherts in the Lighthouse bus
13. Giving Dan his Willie Parker jersey
14. Taking Isaiah to the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum
15. Having dinner at the Melting Pot with Dan
16. Shopping in Squirrel Hill with Bobbi and Beth
17. The Chase the Lion series at church
18. Thanksgiving at my aunt’s
19. Thanksgiving at the Borcherts’
20. Seeing Joshua Bell perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Picture of the Day

Last night I was getting Isaiah ready for bed, and he insisted on sitting next to Samuel while we read a few books. They just looked too cute for words. Life sure is a lot easier when the kids are getting along! =)
So I can't believe Christmas is in exactly two weeks. I haven't been out to stores very much, so Christmas doesn't seem that close. I made myself finish most of the Christmas shopping before Samuel was born because I knew it would be a lot harder after I had him. One thing I've been wrestling with is the place of Santa vs. Jesus in Christmas. I want my kids to know the true meaning of Christmas - the reason for the holiday in the first place, because that is the true miracle - Jesus coming to earth as a baby. In my family growing up, we did have presents from Santa, and it definitely didn't damage me. It was fun. Of course, there's always the moment when you realize the truth about Santa... Luckily I feel like we have another year to figure it out, because Isaiah's too young to know the difference. I doubt he'd sit on Santa's lap, because he's usually scared of things like that. Anyone want to weigh in on Santa?
P.S. I'm working on my Best of 2007 list. Keep checking back.

Be intentional

So at church yesterday I learned that I need to be more intentional about quiet time, whether it's time with God or just alone time for Dan and I. If I just let the day happen, the kids will determine what I do and when, or else I'll just focus on the day-to-day tasks I need to do. So I'm going to try to set appointments with God, just like Dan suggested.

Too crazy

Tonight I asked Dan if he ever thought that things are just too crazy/busy, and if he ever thought we would get a chance to just take a breath and relax. It's so hard to find quiet time. I feel like Isaiah's always running around and talking and wanting something from me. Then Samuel starts crying. Anyway, Dan said yes and that he had some great advice for me. He told me to listen to his sermon tomorrow. Guess that's what I get for marrying a pastor. =) Maybe I'll have some insights to post after church tomorrow.

We were blessed today

A friend of mine had a baby shower for Samuel today. Everybody bought the cutest outfits that will be so nice to have this winter. There were lots of diapers and wipes too! So thank you to everyone who blessed Samuel and us today. It really means a lot.

Samuel's getting bigger and bigger

Isaiah says this all the time. But Samuel really is big. He had his one month doctor's appointment yesterday and weighed in at 12 lbs 4 oz. Isaiah was about that size when he was two months old. So Samuel's a big boy. But he's healthy (and cute too!), so we're thankful for that.

Fun Day

So today was a pretty fun day. Isaiah's preschool class took a field trip to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum. I had never been there, but I'll definitely go back. The timing of the field trip was just perfect. It's been cold and snowy and Isaiah really needed to be able to play and run around in a large space.

I think Isaiah's getting back to his old self. In fact I think he's sweeter than before. If he's eating a snack he'll make sure there's some for me and Dan, and he usually tries to share with Samuel too. He's also been good about sleeping again. He hasn't been waking up early, and his naps are back to two to three hours. Another cute thing is that when he wakes up from his nap (or in the morning) I usually don't even know he's up, because he'll get a book from his bookshelf, turn on his lamp by his couch and sit there and look at his book.

So for today, all is well in our house. =)

Unbelievable!

That game last night... wasn't it? The Patriots have to lose to someone. I guess it will have to be us next Sunday. =)

I've gotten some weird reactions when people (who know I grew up in CT) realize I'm not a Patriots' fan. I've included a little map for your information.

People wrongly assume that, because I grew up in the same general area that the Patriots are from, that I would automatically be a Patriots' fan. However, you'll notice that there are six states that are part of New England; it's not just one big state! The Patriots are from Boston which is in Massachusetts, not Connecticut. It's a different state! It's like PA vs. OH. Different states. Of course, Dan always says, "You expect me to think of Rhode Island as a state?" Yes. Yes I do. The fine people of Rhode Island certainly think of Rhode Island as a state. There are six very distinct states that make up New England. End of geography appreciation lesson for today. =)

'Tis the Season...

for making Christmas wish lists. Have your friends and relatives started asking you what you want for Christmas? I have a hard time coming up with stuff. We have everything we need. Maybe there are some things we want, but we can easily live without those things. Sometimes we lose perspective and think we need the lastest cell phone, portable DVD player, Visio, ipod, or whatever. But sometimes we forget how much we already have.

I remember when a family friend from South Korea came to my house when I was in high school. He was in awe of our house and our yard. It was almost incomprehensible in his mind to have so much. And my parents' house was a two-story ranch. Completely adequate, but not overwhelmingly large. Seeing our house through his eyes made me more appreciative of what we had.

So today, look at everything you have, and imagine looking at it with someone else's eyes. I bet a lot of people would love to have what you have.

Enjoying Today

Sometimes the day-to-day can be kind of tough. As many of you know, I'm a list maker. So lately, I wake up with a mental list (who has time to write it down any more!) and out of ten things to do, I might get one done in a given day. That can be frustrating. But then there are moments that remind me just to enjoy every day. This picture captured one of them. I was taking a picture of Samuel sucking his thumb (which I think is pretty impressive for a three-week-old), and Isaiah came over and gave him a big kiss. So sweet.

Babies at Chrismas

Here's a picture of Samuel and my niece Abbie.

I realized that it's really neat to have a newborn around Christmas time. Samuel reminds me of baby Jesus and how small and vulnerable He was. He came to earth as something so fragile and dependent. And I definitely don't believe the line in "Away in a Manger" that says "no crying He makes." I'm sure that baby Jesus cried. How else would Mary know when to feed Him? It's not a sin to cry; it's just how babies communicate. And speaking of Mary, I can imagine how much she loved her baby. What I can't imagine is the heart-wrenching pain she must have felt when Jesus was nailed to a cross. Her precious baby that was so vulnerable at birth made Himself vulnerable again on the cross. He could have called angels down to see to His every need. He didn't have to allow Himself to die on the cross. But He did it to wipe away all sin forever. Pretty amazing.

He'll use anything

You know Isaiah loves trains. So tonight he took a cardboard box and called it his train engine. Then he put another box of toys behind it, his leap pad behind that, a few other toys, and then his red sweater as the caboose. What amazed me was that, in his mind, there were no limitations on what could be used to make a train. Maybe that's what is means to think like a child. It's amazing what we can learn from kids.

Relationships that grow with time

I'm very thankful for my grandparents. When I was growing up, I only saw them a few times a year because they lived in central PA and I lived in Connecticut. But we talked on the phone about once a week, and the three grandkids (my sister, my cousin Jonathan, and I) knew that they loved us and were interested in our lives. Through college, getting married, and having kids, my grandparents were always able to offer advice and tell stories about when they were in similar situations. Probably one of the things I have appreciated most about them lately is their ability to relate to being in the ministry. My pap was a pastor for over forty years, so he saw just about everything a pastor could see. And my grandma was right there with him. They never tried to tell us how to do ministry or what was right or wrong. They could just relate. Now my pap is in heaven (sometimes I wonder exactly what he's doing up there, but I know he's happy and not in any pain) and my grandma's still here. To be honest, mentally, she's starting to fade. But she remembers being in the ministry with my pap. She loves talking about it and is always encouraging to us. So I'm thankful that they were able to love us as young kids, yet allow us to grow up and relate to us as adults.

Koinonia

When I think of the word koinonia what comes to my mind is this cheesy song we used to sing at the Christian college I went to. But this morning at church our guest speaker Vern Borchert talked about koinonia and how it's much more than singing Kum Ba Ya around a campfire. (Click here to hear his message - scroll down and it's on the left.) He defined koinonia as a partnership or close relationship; also, being humbly reliant on Christ and Christian brothers and sisters. He said that, for him personally, most of the things he learned about God he learned from other people. I never thought about it, but I think that is definitely true for me too. I mean, I do learn things from personal study of the Bible, but I really learn a lot from group discussions in our small groups and from talking to other people. So thanks to everyone who has taught me something about God!

Save the planet, man

We didn't recycle for a while. They actually don't pick up recycling on our private road, so we had a good excuse. But then my mom volunteered to take our recycling to her house. So we started collecting the plastic, cans, and paper. It's amazing how much there is and how quickly it piles up! And we're just one family. So if you don't recycle, I'd encourage you to start. Once you see how much you really use, you'll see how important it is!

Samuel Update

Samuel went to the doctor's on Friday, and he weighed in at 9 pounds. As a minimum, babies should regain their birth weight (his was 8 lbs 14 oz.) by the time they are two weeks old. He wasn't quite two weeks on Friday, so his weight gain is very good. Thank God for a healthy, beautiful baby! Now if he would only sleep at night... Dan keeps reminding me that he's not even two weeks old yet.

Living in the Bermuda Triangle

So I decided that we picked the worst possible child spacing. Isaiah wants to be involved with Samuel but he's too rough and gets frustrated very easily. His naps are dwindling to practically nothing, and he does the complete opposite of anything I tell him to do. He responds "No!" to everything. He's very demanding and doesn't understand the concept of waiting. Every meal is a battle usually including several time outs. He just learned how to turn door knobs and likes to go in closets, then shuts the door the whole way, and then freaks out because he's locked in there. So we bought a few of those plastic door knob covers which, thankfully, he can't open. He also started waking up at 7:00 am. This from the child that used to sleep in 'til 9:00 or later most days. Now since we brought Sam home, he gets up at 7:00. It's pure torture because I just don't do mornings. And of course with a newborn it's constant feedings and not much sleep. I don't know why everything is converging at once. It's like living in the Bermuda Triangle or something!

But Isaiah's not all bad. He's still really cute and fun. He just came over to me with his hand behind his back and said, "Mommy, what's in my hand?" Then he said with a big smile, "It's probably something yummy." Then he opened his hand to reveal some plastic wrap from a DVD case and said, "It's garbage!" and then cracked up, which made me laugh so hard it hurt. Ah, two-year-olds.

Thoughts on having two kids...

1. Now I have to make new rules like, "No trains on the baby's head."

2. I don't think I'll ever leave the house with the two of them by myself... it was hard enough getting somewhere on time with just me and Isaiah!

3. What do I do when they're both crying at the same time?

4. I don't know how single moms do it - Dan has been so helpful this week.

5. It's true what they say - there is enough love to go around to both kids.

Baby Samuel

Little Samuel entered the world on Monday November 5, 2007 weighing in at 8 lbs 14 oz and 19 inches long. Having a baby the second time around is a very different experience. I was much more aware of what was going on around me, and I was able to enjoy it more. I must have had at least ten diffent nurses while I was in the hospital, and every one of them was so patient and caring. And my two delivery nurses were just phenomenal. I was their only patient, and they just did everything possible to help me. In fact they almost had to deliver the baby because they couldn't get my doctor in quickly enough!

Now I'm home and I feel so much better than when I came home with Isaiah. So far Sam has been a pretty easy baby. Of course he thinks days are nights and vice versa, but that should fix itself before too long.

World Peace

Today we ate lunch at the Giant Eagle cafe. I'm embarassed to admit that we've been spending a small fortune eating out lately because I just can't think about cooking and planning meals. It's terrible. But anyway, CNN was on while we were there. They were reporting on the Pakistani president declaring a state of emergency and martial law. Another story we watched was about this Saudi Arabian Dr. Phil-type person counseling young Muslim men on the best methods of wife-beating. I just watched in amazement and disbelief. I don't want to go into a big commentary on the state of the Middle East, but during all this, Isaiah randomly looked at me with a big smile. He made a little peace sign (which he just learned how to do) and proudly said, "World peace!" I couldn't help appreciating the freedom and rights that we have.

Things that make me smile...

1. A long super-hot shower

2. A hug from Isaiah

3. When Dan gets home from work

4. A good piece of fruit (especially fuji apples)

5. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

6. A clean house

7. People eating food together

8. Good sales

9. Playing piano

10. Reading a bible verse that is perfect for when I need it

11. Reading library books to Isaiah

12. Looking at family photos

13. Seinfeld

14. Crisp fall days

15. Checking things off my to-do list

Baby

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and just wanted to let everyone know the latest. Everything is fine with the baby. The doctor set up a tentative induction for me which would start Monday morning. This day/time is very tentative however, depending on two things: how busy labor and delivery is and emergencies. We are supposed to wait until the hospital calls us Monday morning and tells us that there is a space for me. After they call, then we go to the hospital. The doctor said it is not uncommon for inductions to get delayed a day or two, so Monday is not a definite. With hospital delays what they are, even if they do call me in on Monday morning, it could easily be Tuesday morning or afternoon before the baby is born. So, that's what's going on here. I will let everyone know if there are any major developments!

Throw leaves all over me!

Tonight Isaiah was getting kind of cranky from being cooped up in the house, so we went on a walk at this little park off 910. It's funny how much happier he is just being outside. So Dan threw a bunch of leaves up in the air and let them fall all over Isaiah. He loved it! He couldn't get enough of it. So we did that over and over again, and just had a blast enjoying nature and each other.

Pictures

Today I decided to start a family Flickr site, so here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12138375@N02/. There's also a link to the right under "Check out..." There are just a few pictures now, but I'll try to update them often. Enjoy!

Fire Tornado

Pretty much any time you watch national news these last few days, the coverage is almost exclusively of the wildfires in southern CA. This morning some firefighters were being interviewed about the dangers of fighting those fires. They discussed the phenomenon that the fires create their own weather patterns including fire tornadoes. I had never heard of this before. They showed video footage of flames of fire actually spinning around like a tornado, and apparently these fire tornadoes can go up to a mile high from the ground into the sky.

When I saw the video the first thing that came into my mind was God leading the Israelites through the desert. The Bible says He "guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire." (Ex. 13:21) It's one thing to imagine a pillar of fire or see a drawing in a book, but to see actual video footage of what it might have looked like was surreal. I don't know if God used a fire tornado to lead His people, but I would definitely say that a fire tornado sure looks like a pillar of fire.

Uncertainty...

So Dan's message this morning got me thinking about uncertainty and the decisions we make. I'm talking about big decisions - where to live, whether or not to take a job, dealing with messy interpersonal situations, etc. In general, it seems like we tend to respect people who make well calculated, well thought out decisions - people who have a plan. We see those decisions as mature, responsible, and sensible. But lion chasers are supposed to be brave and fearless. We're supposed to embrace circumstantial uncertainties. So do we respect the people who make decisions that aren't so calculated out? Do we think those people are crazy? Irresponsible?

There's a teacher at Eden who is definitely a lion chaser. This woman isn't afraid of anything. She's isn't afraid to "bite off more than she can chew" as they say. She is divorced, has two grown daughters, and one granddaughter. At the beginning of last school year, she got full custody of her six-year-old nephew whose mom clearly wasn't able to raise a child. This teacher didn't have a plan. She couldn't possibly get to her nephew's school to pick him up on time because of her teaching obligations. She didn't have clothes for him. She didn't have anyone to watch him while she helped out with some extra-curricular activities at school. What kind of decision did she make? To her it wasn't an option. She knew that God never wants a child to be neglected. She loved her nephew and he loved her. I just find her decision amazing, and I hope I can grow to be that selfless and brave despite circumstantial uncertainties.

Are you here?

Sometimes when Isaiah and I are alone, he'll look right at me and say, "Mommy, are you here?" I'll usually reply something like, "Honey, of course I'm here." Strange, huh? What if God feels that way when we wonder if he's there? Of course, we can't look God straight in the face as if he's sitting next to us, but doesn't nature point right to the existence of God? Plus, His word says he will never leave us (Heb. 13:5). So we should simply believe that and be content.

I've never actually done one of these before but here goes...

4 jobs i've held:
1. Piano Teacher (pays more and is a lot easier than teaching in a classroom)
2. Music Teacher at Eden Christian Academy (taught band, choir, general music, piano, and violin to grades 1-12. The high schoolers were my favorite by far.)
3. English teacher in China
4. Associate at Toy Works (the summer between high school and college)

4 films i could watch over and over again:
1. Only You (the one with Marissa Tomei)
2. Cinderella Man
3. Office Space (by far the funniest movie ever made - but I prefer the censored TV version)
4. Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea

4 tv shows i watch:
1. The Office
2. Deal or No Deal
3. Wonder Years (it doesn't seem to be on ion anymore =( )
4. News

4 places i've lived
1. Bristol, CT (14 years)
2. Houghton, NY (College - 4 years)
3. Bakerstown, PA (3 years)
4. Gibsonia, PA (3 years)

Favorite foods:
1. Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup
2. Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice
3. Anything Dan grills up
4. Strawberry/Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

4 websites i visit everyday:
1. Yahoo mail
2. Mars Bank Online
3. Everybody's blogs
4. Weather.com

4 favorite colors:
1. Red
2. Black
3. Brown
4. Blue

4 places i'd rather be right now:
1. Spending time with extended family
2. H & M spending a nice big gift card
3. Italy
4. Leaving the hospital with my new baby

4 blogging friends i am tagging to do this next:
1. Katherine
2. Valerie
3. Cory
4. Brooke

It worked!

So this week in our Chase the Lion series we were talking about opportunities. In our Thursday night small group we were talking about the importance of praying in the morning, to help get your body, mind, and spirit in prayer mode (not survival mode) so we can see the opportunities before us. So this morning I woke up and prayed that God would give me an opportunity, that I would see it, and seize it. So at Isaiah's preschool today I saw an opportunity to help someone in a practical way. I knew exactly what to do, and I did it. It wasn't difficult, but maybe God gave me an easy one to start out with.

I've also been trying to figure out what my "big" lion is. In my mind I was thinking that it must be some exotic adventure, epic undertaking, or business venture. At a recent pastor's conference someone asked Mark Batterson what his biggest lion was in his life at the time. He said that it is his adolescent son, Parker. I'm not trying to be a copy cat, but after trying to come up with some great exciting lion in my life, I feel like God is telling me that my lions are Isaiah and the one to come. It kind of seems like a cop out, like a sorry excuse for a lion. But really it is consisent with God's role for mothers. Our children are supposed to be a priority, and raising a child is a pretty big undertaking. So that's my lion for now.

Underwear Monkeys

When it comes to to seeing and seizing opportunities, I'm pretty oblivious. According to Mark Batterson that means I need to pray more and ask God to help me see those opportunities. I need to set a prayer trap, to trap the opportunities. So that's what I'll be working on.

Oh, and Isaiah has been running around the house all morning saying, "Underwear monkeys" and laughing his head off. I'm not sure what that's about...

Some fun fall pictures

These are some pictures from Soergels Orchard. This first picture is one of my all-time favorite fall pictures, taken in 2005. The other two were taken in 2005 and 2007. It's hard to believe how quickly time goes by... so cherish every day.

Interesting Quote

I read this quote over the weekend and I thought, if we could live our lives this way, what a difference we could make. So here it is: Write your hurts in sand and your blessings in stone.

New Eyes

I think one of the neatest things about having a kid is seeing things through their eyes. Isaiah is fascinated with the leaves that are just starting to change color. When we're playing outside or driving down the road he points to the trees and says, "Mommy, that one's almost going to be orange!" I remember in previous years that sometimes the leaves had already fallen off the trees, and I hadn't taken the time to notice the changing colors. Maybe it's one way that God reminds us of the beauty of His creation - through the eyes of a child.

Seeds of Change

I'm excited about the future of the Church. Not our local church, but the universal Church. I'm excited about our generation of leaders. Every generation seems to have its own style of leadership which works for that generation. I see in our generation a renewed quest for authenticity among ourselves and with God. It brings to mind the scripture from Hebrews 4:12 "The word of God is living and active..." We are moving forward as we should be. As we continue on our journey closer to Christ, let's remember to thank those older generations for the legacy they passed on to us - a legacy of integrity and truth and so much more. So young church leaders, be bold in what God has for you to do.

Good Food

Dan and I went to the Melting Pot in Station Square yesterday to celebrate my birthday - the last birthday before I turn 30! I think that indulging in some great food once in a while is really worth it. It's fondue, so you get to cook your own main course and it's just a great time. Plus we got in some good quality time because there were four courses. You get the cheese course, the salad, the main course and the dessert. It took over two hours to complete the meal plus the tables are really private and you feel like you're the only ones in the restaurant. If you want an unforgettable meal I would definitely recommend it.

Weird Obsessions

So I'm sure everyone has one - a weird obsession. Mine is bejeweled. Have you played the game for PC with all the shapes? Anyway, I find it oddly relaxing. At the end of the day I like to play a round or two of bejeweled just to unwind. So, what's your obsession?

Two different kinds of truth

Tonight at small group we were talking about Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Something that stood out to me was her response when Jesus asked her to go get her husband. She responded by saying, "I have no husband." Did she tell the truth? Yes. Even Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” She did tell the truth, but notice how Jesus' version of the truth (divulging all the details of the woman's life) is more thorough, complete, and transparent. It's a good example of how sometimes we think we're telling the truth or living the truth, but maybe we need to take a closer look at the Truth's (Jesus') example.

Where were you

Where were you when you heard the news about the planes and the towers? I was at school. I didn't have any classes to teach on Wednesdays until after lunch. I was walking down the hall and a fourth grade boy came out of his classroom and said, "Guess what just happened" in an excited voice. So I thought it was something good. Then he told me that a plane had just crashed into the world trade center. It was about 9:00 a.m. at the time. I couldn't believe how this could happen. So I went into the gym office and listened to Rush on the radio. The details were so sketchy at the time. When the incident happened at the Pentagon, some eye witnesses were saying they thought that a helicopter flew behind the Pentagon and blew up. And the second plane hit. That whole morning felt like a twilight zone.

My sister was at Nyack College at the time, and from their campus they could actually see the smoke from the world trade center billowing up to the sky. Then she heard the news that a plane had gone down outside of Pittsburgh, and she got sick and had to leave class because she thought that might be near us. Now I knew Somerset County was nowhere near us, so it didn't occur to me to call my family to tell them we were ok. So they were in a panic for a while until they could reach us. A lot of families came to pick their kids up from school because we didn't know if Pittsburgh was a target for these attacks. So the rest of the school day was really fragmented.

Later Dan and I ate dinner at Climo's in Cranberry. We sat near the window and were very conscious that there were no planes in the sky because all planes had been grounded. It was eerie. We went into a store to watch the TV coverage of the planes going into the buildings. It was the first time we had seen those videos. I just remember standing there watching and not believing what I saw. You could just watch it over and over and still not believe it really happened.

Later that night we went to our landlord's house to watch President Bush's address (because we didn't have a TV at the time.) I remember that it was very reassuring to hear his address and know that the whole country wasn't just falling apart, that the government would still function and that we would come through this.

And you just had to ask God, "What happened here?" Why? Six years later we still don't have all the answers, but the memories of that day are still fresh in my mind.

People who live in a different culture to tell people about Jesus

AKA Missionaries. Missionaries are really cool people. They are true lion chasers. I have had the priveledge of spending a decent amount of time with a couple of different missionaries. Erin Sabol and the Fugate family are all crazy, intense, and have a great sense of humor. Erin is all for new ideas and cutting edge ways to reach people for Christ. She has a thing for Argentenian celebrities. She prays for them and has even come into contact with some of them. It's great! She also schemes wacky ways to get into the university library so she can have access to college students. She is definitely a 'people person' and is a blast to talk to. Then you have the Fugates. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard with any other family. They are the people you want at your party! So I just want to thank Erin and the Fugates for being willing to follow God's call on your lives, and for being such great examples of how fun our journey with Christ can be.

Fast trains

My son loves trains. I can honestly say that he is obsessed with them. I have a video of him when he was just barely two years old standing about thirty feet from a train traveling approximately 60 mph. As the camera pans back and forth between the train and his face, you can see that he is struck with a mixture of fear and awe. He just stands there frozen, eyes open wide, as he watches the biggest and fastest train he has ever seen. As soon as the train has passed, you can hear his little voice say, "Another train?" Even though he was clearly stunned and afraid of the train, the thrill of seeing it made him want to see another one.
I can't help but think of that as a perfect illustration of a healthy fear of God. We're awestruck by His greatness, and we fear Him out of sheer respect, and when we experience Him, no matter how powerful, we want more. The power and speed of the train was overwhelming, like the holy presence of God.

Evil behavior

I was reading I Peter chapter 2 this morning. Verse 1 starts out by saying to "get rid of all evil behavior." What is evil behavior? Killing? Theft? Hijacking? Assault? Verse 1 goes on to define evil behavior as "deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech." It's hard to know how to respond to that. Often we think it's normal to be jealous or say whatever we want to about people who aren't present. But one of our goals as Christians should be to have the mind and attitude of Christ, who was never deceitful, hypocritical, jealous, or spoke unkindly. It's very humbling to read that verse, because just as you think "I'm doing ok in my Christian walk," you realize you have so far to go. So hopefully that will motivate us to rely even more on the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and our words.

Treadmills

So I was at the gym today walking on a treadmill. There was a woman running on the treadmill next to me. I was cruising along as best as I could (being seven months pregnant), listening to my mp3 when all of a sudden, the woman stopped running and got off the treadmill. That left me as the only person in the room. Within a few seconds, I noticed myself lagging behind. And I thought to myself, "It sure is a lot more difficult doing this on my own." I didn't even notice how much the woman was motivating me until she was gone.
So I was thinking that our walk with Christ is much the same. That is why we need other Christians, especially those more (I hate to use this word, but you'll know what I mean) 'mature' than we are to help motivate us and keep us going. I thoroughly enjoy stimulating discussions with my husband and members of two small groups I attend. They help keep my mind on Christ and get me thinking about tough topics. So thanks to all of those people who are running alongside of me and keeping me going.